Effects of Voice Therapy on Vocal Tract Discomfort in Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

Introduction: Patients with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) suffer from several physical discomforts in their vocal tract. However, few studies have examined the effects of voice therapy (VT) on the vocal tract discomfort (VTD) in patients with voice disorders. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of VT on the VTD in patients with MTD.

Comparison of spinal stability following motor control and general exercises in nonspecific chronic low back pain patients.

Background: Motor control exercise was claimed to improve spinal stability in patients with chronic non-specific back pain, but to investigate the effectiveness of this exercise, other outcome measures have been used rather than spinal stability itself. The aim of our study is to assess motor control exercise effects on spinal stability using a biomechanical model.

Methods: Fifty-one patients were assigned to either motor control or general exercises.

Effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation on vocal folds adduction.

According to most previous studies, inducing movements in internal laryngeal muscles by transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) was impossible. However, the movements have been reported after using needle electrodes inserted into the internal superior laryngeal nerve (ISLN). Herein, we aimed to apply an innovative TES protocol to cause movements in vocal folds.

Postural Control in Deaf Children.

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the reliability of static control evaluation with Synapsys Posturography System (SPS, Marseille, France) and to compare the static postural control of deaf children with typically developing children. This study was conducted in 2 phases on 81 children of 7 to 12 years old in Tehran schools. The first phase examined the reliability of static balance evaluation with SPS.

Balance Performance of Deaf Children With and Without Cochlear Implants.

 The aim of this study was to compare the static and dynamic balance performance of deaf children with and without cochlear implants. This is a cross-sectional study of 145 school children, aged between 7 and 12 years comprising 85 children with congenital or early acquired bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss (the hearing loss group) and 60 normal hearing aged-matched control counterparts were assessed using the balance subtest of Bruininks-Oseretsky test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP). The hearing loss group, 50 without cochlear implants (the non-implant group) and 35 of them with unilateral cochlear implants (the implant group) were recruited from schools for the deaf and normal hearing children (the control group) randomly selected from two randomly selected elementary schools of Tehran city.

The Effect of Increasing Volume of Exercise on Activation Pattern of Vastus Medialis and Lateralis and its Correlation With Anterior Knee Pain in Karate Elites.

Background: The effects of exercise volume on the pattern of muscle activity is one of the most important factors in training management and injury risk reduction. In the lower limb, the quadriceps muscle which plays a determining role in performing the stance and other karate techniques could be injured in intensive exercise and may induce anterior knee pain in athletes.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between training volume and muscle activity of vastus medialis and vastus lateralis and its association with anterior knee pain in karate elites.

Role of the Internal Superior Laryngeal Nerve in the Motor Responses of Vocal Cords and the Related Voice Acoustic Changes.

Background: Repeated efforts by researchers to impose voice changes by laryngeal surface electrical stimulation (SES) have come to no avail. This present pre-experimental study employed a novel method for SES application so as to evoke the motor potential of the internal superior laryngeal nerve (ISLN) and create voice changes.

Methods: Thirty-two normal individuals (22 females and 10 males) participated in this study.

The effect of core stability and general exercise on abdominal muscle thickness in non-specific chronic low back pain using ultrasound imaging.

Background: There is a controversy regarding whether core stability exercise (CSE) is more effective than general exercise (GE) for chronic LBP. To compare different exercises regarding their effect on improving back strength and stability, performance of abdominal muscles is a useful index. Ultrasound imaging for measuring muscle thickness could be used to assess muscle performance.

Prevalence of Voice Disorders and Associated Risk Factors in Teachers and Nonteachers in Iran.

Objectives: Teachers are at increased risk for development of voice disorders. Because there is no published study on Iranian teachers, the aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of voice disorders among teachers and nonteachers in Iran and define the causing risk factors.

Methods: In the present study, 104 teachers and 41 nonteacher participants, whose jobs did not involve vocal effort, completed a questionnaire regarding to vocal complaint and four relevant risk factors.

Assessment of Correlation between Electrogoniometer Measurements and Sports-Specific Movement in Karate Elites.

Purpose: To examine the intra-rater reliability of knee movement data in sagital plane obtained from electrogoniometer (EGM) in a basic, sport-specific task of karate.

Methods: A total of 23 elite karate athletes (13 females and 10 males; mean age of 16.10±1.

Comparing core stability and traditional trunk exercise on chronic low back pain patients using three functional lumbopelvic stability tests.

It is a matter of controversy whether core stability exercise is preferred to other types of exercise for chronic low back pain. Lumbopelvic stability is an important element in low back pain. No study was found using lumbopelvic stability tests in comparing core stability and other exercises.